.433 330gr LMN dual crimp groove AKA B3

[Blammer]

Here is the thread for the GB.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=30340

I got my mould in the mail today and couldn't stand it! After 2 years I finally got my copy of the mould! Thank you only1asterick for sticking it out so long as the honcho, you are to be commended on the endourance effort on this Lee GB. As and aside note it's my last Lee GB mould I've been waiting on, and actually my first participation in a Lee GB mould.

So without further wait.

I degreased my mould, heated up the pot and commenced to get it hot and cast good boolits very quickly! The huge boolit helped in keeping the mould up to temp, acutally too hot. I used the damp towel trick to help cool it off once up to temp. I was getting good frosted boolits every cast and they were just falling right out with a tad of a tap.

After casting a pile, I took three and measured them. 335gr with my WW alloy.

.433 in dia and .434 at the widest part on ALL of them. :)

the two crimp grooves and nose were spec'd at .428 and they were dead on the money!

Didn't get to measuring the rest of the dims but they looked good. I'll get to measuring them later.

I sized and lubed a few for the pic. They look awesome!

Now to load a few for my RSRH and my 44mag T/C barrel.

I don't think they'll work in the R77 unless I single feed them. I may try it just for grins.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Cast%20boolits/44Cal/DSCN8036.jpg

Anyone else get this mould cast and or test any?

How about some other results? I'm curious.

[Blammer]

loaded up some dummy rounds.

Seated to the lower of the two crimp grooves, (approaching from the base of the boolit) they will fit nicely in my Super Redhawk. Almost flush with the end of the cylinder, but a bit of room left. YEA!

Then I took the same round and fed it single into my R77 bolt gun. It went nicely and when I pulled it out to look at it, there were "just perfect" engraving marks from the rifling on the boolit. The bolt was easy to close and the round was easy to extract. I'll definitely try single feeding this in my R77.

Anyone have a recommended start load for this?

I'm thinking 14gr of 2400 and the 335gr boolit.

[DAFzipper]

I loaded a few at 15.3 of 2400. 1025 fps over the chronograph. 1" group at 25 yards off sand bags from my Redhawk.

[Blammer]

I tried two rounds today with 14gr of 2400 and observed some really flat primers, when shot out of my SRH. I think I may back off a bit more an try 13gr.

[smokemjoe]

Dose fine in my 41 Swiss rifles. I use 13 grs. of unique

[only1asterisk]

I tried two rounds today with 14gr of 2400 and observed some really flat primers, when shot out of my SRH. I think I may back off a bit more an try 13gr.

Really? I'd think that would be a fairly mild load...

[Blammer]

I thought they would be too. But them primers are flattern a pancake.

[only1asterisk]

I thought they would be too. But them primers are flattern a pancake.

I don't think excess pressure caused your flattened primers unless you accidently loaded Unique instead of 2400.

For a SRH, 16 grains of 2400 is where I'd start thinking about pressure (leading would likely stop me first).

[Bear4570]

I loaded 16.2 with CCI Lg Pistol Mag primers. No flatten primers or any other signs of excessive pressure, fell easily out of the cylinder of my Redhawk, and fed and ejected like stuff thru a goose in a Winchester trapper. Deadly accurate in both and hits like a brick. I like this mold. :)

[2 dogs]

DJ, you sure cast pretty boolits. Considering that this particular mold was my bright idea I was pretty upset when Lee took so dang long. Im glad to see that it casts so nicely!

What is the longest OAL you get with a loaded 44?

[Blammer]

longest OAL on my 44, 1.740 or real close to that.

[2 dogs]

Thanks DJ!

[Blammer]

hmm, just loaded another boolit and the length was 1.790 and it fit fine in my SRH

[Blammer]

Ok I figured out what my problem was! It was the brass, evidentally I had a loose primer pocket and the primer backed out a bit then the pressure pushed the case back into the primer making it look really flat. I used some new brass and they showed no signs of pressure on my 15gr of 2400 with 335gr boolit.

[Blammer]

Well I can say for certain that 15gr of 2400 is not fast enough to stabilize these out of my RSRH at 50 yds.

Time to crank up the powder charge!

[James C. Snodgrass]

Well I just got to test these out of a Win, Trapper myself . I tried some with a lite load of Unique and they didn,t stabilize so I switched to 2400 . I found some +P data in Handloader for the SRH and used 19 gr with a std CCI primer crimped in the top groove and got bullets touching at 50 yds . the cases extract like every other load with ease and I don't see any signs of pressure . I will try to chrono this week end . James[smilie=f:

[Blammer]

I shot some more out of my RSRH with 17gr of 2400, they were showing signs of starting to keyhole at 100yds.

it was a 4'' by 5" group

mine weighed 335gr's.

[2 dogs]

DJ, keep us advised on these results please. Thanks

[only1asterisk]

Well I just got to test these out of a Win, Trapper myself . I tried some with a lite load of Unique and they didn,t stabilize so I switched to 2400 . I found some +P data in Handloader for the SRH and used 19 gr with a std CCI primer crimped in the top groove and got bullets touching at 50 yds . the cases extract like every other load with ease and I don't see any signs of pressure . I will try to chrono this week end . James[smilie=f:

Waiting for chrono results. That is pretty stout load to crimp in the top groove.

[only1asterisk]

I shot some more out of my RSRH with 17gr of 2400, they were showing signs of starting to keyhole at 100yds.

it was a 4'' by 5" group

mine weighed 335gr's.

Faster!

[Blammer]

yea I'll try faster, we'll see. :)

[smokemjoe]

I just shot this today in my Swiss Vetterli 12.5 Unique, 333 gr., 5 shots = 1.826 at 100 yds., Can someone try this bullet in a 444, It should do good.

[2 dogs]

I got my mold out and did some test casting with it. It cast beautifully right off the bat. I noted it got pretty hot, and had to keep the pace down with it, but it drops easily and the bullets are beautiful. One of the best LEE molds I have!

[only1asterisk]

One of the best LEE molds I have!


They took long enough!

[only1asterisk]

Anything?

[2 dogs]

Not yet! But its high on my list!

[2 dogs]

OK DJ, here is an update!

I got out my Harton tuned RH and pin guages and measured my throats. A .431 guage fit but a .432 guage would not. I sized my bullets .432 on a Star base first careful to keep them nice and lined up.

I loaded them on my Dillon 550 on 19.0 grain of Lil Gun seated out to the longer crimp groove. They fit my RH with room to spare in the cylinder. I might also mention I also have a second long cylinder 44, a custom Ruger Bisley by Dave Clements. I hope to get out and get some preliminary shooting done here pretty soon and update again. So far they are looking like some serious meat seeking missiles!

[2 dogs]

Ok, I shot them today, estimated velocity was about 1250 fps. I did see some trace leading in my barrel, which is not what I wanted to see. Im going to slow this bullet down a little and see if it makes a difference. Or I might just need to firelap it a little bit.

I remember going down this road with that 444 bullet with multiple crimp grooves loaded long in my Clements 44 mag. Whenever I got up to the 1200 fps range I started seeing leading...

Any thoughts?

[only1asterisk]

Ok, I shot them today, estimated velocity was about 1250 fps. I did see some trace leading in my barrel, which is not what I wanted to see. Im going to slow this bullet down a little and see if it makes a difference. Or I might just need to firelap it a little bit.

I remember going down this road with that 444 bullet with multiple crimp grooves loaded long in my Clements 44 mag. Whenever I got up to the 1200 fps range I started seeing leading...

Any thoughts?

What was your alloy?

[2 dogs]

These bullets were about 14 bhn.

[2 dogs]

I got out my Bullet Hardness tester and rechecked these big 44's right at 14 BHN.

Consider this: I looked at the fired cases and noted at the case mouths there was a thick ring of lubricant where the lube never made it into the barrel. This tells me this bullet is seeing too much pressure! When the full caliber driving band hits the barrel and the back end of the bullet is being pushed too hard its squeezing the lube out of the grease groove prematurely.....

I will drop this powder charge a grain and see what I see here.....

[2 dogs]

No comments here guys?? DJ, ?

[Blammer]

I've been a bit pre occupied.

Roof had a big hole in it, leaking when raining, have to fix, have to fix chimney, it not working right for wood stove, etc.... other priorities right now.

Sorry.

[2 dogs]

Yes, I understand, so have I!!! I have decided to not only reduce the load a grain but Im also going to size these bullets down to .4315 and see if some of that lube can make it in the barrel!!!

[2 dogs]

Ok I shot them on 18 grains of Lil Gun sized .4315 and they did much better, but by the 12 round I am still seeing some leading here.

Sean Harper thinks I need to water drop these bullets to harden them up, so I guess thats next.

Sure could use some help here.....

[only1asterisk]

Water drop them. I think it will help. I think hardness should always go by pressure rather than velocity. This is a good example a heavy for diameter bullet going at modest velocity despite running at average pressure.

If you get leading when you water drop, I'd UP the powder charge.

[2 dogs]

Ok, got it. Dang it tho, I hate remelting such PRETTY bullets!!!!

[only1asterisk]

You could just send them to me. :-)

[2 dogs]

What? You didnt get one of these molds?

[only1asterisk]

What? You didnt get one of these molds?

I sent mine to Blammer to replace the one the Post Office misplaced. This group buy was short by several people and I couldn't afford extras

[Bear4570]

I increased my load to 18.5 grains of 2400, Winchester Large pistol for standard or magnum loads, apache blue lube, scrap range lead with bh 14. No signs of leading or high pressure.

Did not chronograph them or put them on paper, but they were minute of clay pigeon for 4 out of 6 shots at 75 yards off the bench with my 5 1/2 " Redhawk and slapped the snot out off a couple of rams at 1oo yds.

Taking it opening day of whitetail this Saturday.

[only1asterisk]

I increased my load to 18.5 grains of 2400, Winchester Large pistol for standard or magnum loads, apache blue lube, scrap range lead with bh 14. No signs of leading or high pressure.

Did not chronograph them or put them on paper, but they were minute of clay pigeon for 4 out of 6 shots at 75 yards off the bench with my 5 1/2 " Redhawk and slapped the snot out off a couple of rams at 1oo yds.

Taking it opening day of whitetail this Saturday.

That's stout. Hope you find something worth shooting.

[smokemjoe]

That's stout. Hope you find something worth shooting.

I just may sell my mold, I use it in my 41 swiss and next spring I will try it some more, Since I have had 3 custom molds made for my Swiss and about 6 other molds for it I may not need it, will let you know this spring,

[2 dogs]

Ok I water dropped some of these. Hardness went from 14 BHN to 19 BHN......will give em another try and advise.

[saz]

Any luck???

[2 dogs]

Yes, they shot well and didnt lead nearly as much!! I also sized them .0005 smaller....Recoil on the other hand was pretty impressive.